Daisy Brumby was fully initiated into the Catholic faith on June 27, 2020. Her conversion story goes like this:
My stepmom is Catholic and shared her faith with me growing up by taking me to church and sending me to Catholic school for three years. But because my mother was not Catholic, I felt like the faith was not for me. As adults, my stepmom began to gift me and my siblings Catholic books like "The Lessons of St. Francis," by John Michael Talbot and Steve Rabey as well as "My Life with the Saints," by James Martin, SJ.
My brother and his family converted to the Catholic faith in 2018. My mom followed in 2019. I noticed how the faith seemed to strengthen them and their families and wanted the same thing for myself, but I was hesitant.
In the Spring of 2019, my teenage daughter became seriously ill and was hospitalized. I woke up on that first morning with the thought that what she most needed was a Catholic priest. I pictured in my mind a priest by her bedside, ministering to her. I got myself ready and went to Children's National to visit her. I walked down the hallway and as I approached her room, I saw her lying in bed with what looked like a Catholic priest next to her, ministering. It was the same picture I'd had in mind earlier in the day, only in real life.
He introduced himself to me as a seminarian at Catholic University who often visited sick patients in the hospital, although rarely in this part of the hospital. He said that as he was walking the halls that morning, he had the feeling that he needed to diverge from his usual route, and that is what led him to my daughter. I told him I'd seen him in my mind, in this very position, earlier that morning.
My daughter formed an instant bond with him and felt comforted by his presence. She was well enough a week later to leave the hospital and come home.
In the subsequent months, she began to be open to some aspects of the Catholic church and we began going to our neighborhood church, St. Ann, together.
I felt strongly that God was calling me to join the Catholic Church and I signed up for RCIA in September of 2019. My faith grew during the weekly Tuesday classes guided by Monsignor Watkins. I became excited and filled with anticipation at receiving my Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion at Easter. The outbreak of COVID-19 meant Easter Mass was canceled, and so I waited for a special Mass along with the other candidates until the end of June when St. Ann Church reopened. Receiving my sacraments was one of the most special days of my life and I truly feel a part of God, the Catholic faith, and the St. Ann community.
My middle name is Annette, which gave me the first hint at what my saint name was destined to be. Around Christmas time the parish began selling candles of St. Ann with Mary. This is the first time I realized that Ann was the mother of Mary. I was curious about her and began to learn that she was a faithful and strong mother. I often asked her to pray for me to also be a faithful and strong mother, that I might lead my family toward righteousness. Then, because our parish is named the Church of St. Ann, it all clicked for me one day in RCIA class when Monsignor Watkins reminded us that our sacraments were coming up soon and asked us for our Saint name. With complete confidence, I answered that I would take the name Ann.
I am so happy to be a member of the St. Ann parish where I can practice my Catholic faith with others who are on this same journey of faith. I pray that like St. Ann, I can be a faithful and strong mother who sets an example of piety for my daughter. Although she has graduated high school and moved out of the home, I hope that she will continue to nurture her budding faith and that someday she too will convert to Catholicism.
Daisy Brumby lives in Northwest Washington, DC with her husband and children. She holds a Master's Degree from American University in Journalism and Mass Communication. She is a former journalist turned stay-at-home mom and writes short stories.